(MNBR) – Yesterday in Iran, articles appeared in two government-run news outlets blaming the Baha’i “sect” for the recent unrest in Iran, and namely the widespread protests that took place across the country on the day of Ashura. The Javan Newspaper, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, claimed that the protesters in “Mousavi’s camp” tore Qur’ans during the protests, and that this is a practice that is common among the “Baha’i branch” of Mousavi’s staff. The semi-official Fars News Agency, which has recently seen an influx in its ranks of Basij members, claimed that “Baha’ism under the leadership of Zionism is behind the latest crisis and unrest”.
The following is a translation from Farsi of the relevant paragraphs of the Fars News Agency story:
Baha’ism, Led by Zionism, is Hatching Intrigue Behind the Scenes of the Recent Unrest
Ne’matollah Bavand, an expert and researcher in political affairs, proclaims that Baha’ism under the leadership of Zionism is behind the latest crisis and unrest.
Asserting that there is no doubt that Baha’ism, led by Zionism, is behind these disturbances, Bavand declared: “A female advisor to one of the candidates in the recent presidential election who wears a turban defended Baha’ism.” [Note: this is an implied and disparaging reference to Mehdi Karroubi].
He added: “How long will the government put up with these people? Haven’t the people been convinced yet of the nature of these hypocrisies?…An advisor to this man, who pretends to be a man of the cloth and who was once the head of parliament, has openly come out in defense of Baha’ism and is currently completing training with her husband in England to become spies.”
He emphasized, “The public sees these things and becomes upset. Isn’t there a way to take care of these problems? The key players leave Iran and people of lesser importance are tried, when it is the key players that need to be tried!…The enemy has come to seek revenge for all the victories [of the Islamic Republic] in the Mecca of Islam: Iran!”
Below in a translation from Farsi of the Javan newspaper story
Plot of Baha’ism in the Musawi Camp to Publicly Desecrate Religious Sanctities is Exposed
On ‘Ashura, the protectors of the Musawi camp did not have the decency to abstain from desecrating even the most sacred of religious sanctities. By tearing up copies of the Qur’an on Enqelab Street in front of those mourning the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, they have exposed another side of their contempt for religion.
Confirming the above report, an expert in matters of security told Javan Online: “The actions of the Musawi Camp in desecrating religious sanctities is nothing new. In fact, this began happening when a Baha’i branch in the staff of this candidate was formed during the days leading up to the election.”
He added: “This sect has long been planning to attack the religious sanctities of the people on ‘Ashura but since they can never secure the protection of the masses, they will never be succeed.”
Regarding the role of Baha’ism in desecrating religious sanctities, our expert in matters of security stated, “The path that the Musawi camp is taking in their attack on religious sanctities is the exact same path that the misguided Baha’i sect has been on for years.”
He added: “We have evidence connecting the sect of Baha’ism with the Musawi camp and the strategic partnership between these two groups.”
[Source: Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights http://www.bahairights.org/2009/12/29/iran-state-media-blames-the-bahai-sect-for-recent-unrest/]
December 30, 2009 5:31 pm
Sorry,
Finger pointing is not the way to go at this point.
This unrest is totally due to the method of doing normal business by the same OLD government supporter of the current seating party.
The world awaits the removal of this set of people so the people can join the rest of the world economy in there efforts to move forward. It’s simple to me, but sometimes power interfears with logic. The government as a whole can really benefit from a reaveral and open economy and the rich persons over there can expand there growth many times over again by this open move.
This is not about religions, it’s about money and it can be made very easily. Give up the finger pointing and wake up, threats can only work a limited amount of the times. Killing more country people will only bring on more resentment toward governmens internally as well as abroad.
The word is getting out, so step back and listen to the world talking to you.
Someone
December 31, 2009 12:20 am
Interesting, albeit hardly surprising.
We know that “the candidate in the recent presidential election who wears a turban” is Karroubi, but do we know who his female adviser is? Not Shirin Ebadi (the lawyer who defended the Yaran) is it?
Also, who are the “Baha’i branch” in the Mousavi campaign?
December 31, 2009 12:55 am
No doubt the “Baha’i branch” is yet another smear tactic (as if being associated with Baha’is would be a smear). Baha’is do not get involved in politics, though if someone who is not a Baha’i actually dares to imagine giving rights that are in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and even the Iranian Constitution, then they raise up a fuss, and make vague accusations. They attempt to instill doubt by raising the specter of vague forces in the society doing nefarious things, but it seems more Iranians may be wisening up to the real reasons for these cries about the supposed bogeyman.
It is a long-standing tactic of corrupt and authoritarian governments to make up for their own failings or try to rile nationalistic sentiment in their favor by making up such a scapegoat. As they increasingly discover the real nature of the accusers, however, good-minded people actually start to get more curious about those ideas and beliefs loudly protested against by them.
December 31, 2009 7:22 pm
The Baha’i Faith has been the scapegoat of Persian-Iranian governments for all of its 166-year life while the clearly published tenets and laws of the Baha’i Faith that are strictly adhered to by its followers are to support the government of the land in which they live, to love everyone especially their enemies, to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization and many others too numerous to list here. This is another pitiful attempt of a threadbare, spiritually bankrupt group of men to cover their glaring nakedness. May God have mercy on them and on all mankind as the world struggles to give birth to a new, spiritual civilization.
January 5, 2010 12:44 pm
The world will not be fooled by baseless accusations. See Time Magazine, December 8, 2009 issue:
“The government of Iran has held seven leaders of the Baha’i Faith — a monotheistic religion founded in 19th century Persia — in prison for more than a year without formal charges, access to their attorneys or a trial. The Baha’i tradition is outlawed in Iran, and some government officials have claimed that the prisoners are guilty of spying for Israel or insulting Islam.
Several times, the government has scheduled capital-punishment hearings for the seven, only to cancel at the last minute.
‘The charges against these imprisoned Baha’is are baseless and a pretext for the persecution and harassment of a disfavored religious minority,” said Leonard Leo, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which has demanded their release.’ “
January 6, 2010 6:27 pm
If it is true that half the population of Iran is ready to go rioting in the streets of Tehran because the Baha’is told them to do it, then the Islamic Republic has a bigger problem on its hands than they thought they had!